More than 5 million bees found living under a New York cemetery - one of the largest recorded colonies ever

Key Points:

• Researchers at Cornell University discovered an estimated 5.5 to 5.6 million ground-nesting regular mining bees (Andrena regularis) living beneath the East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York, marking one of the largest bee aggregations ever recorded.
• Unlike honeybees, these solitary bees nest individually underground, with each female digging her own nest and provisioning it with pollen and nectar; about 70% of U.S. bee species live this way.
• The discovery was prompted by a technician’s observation in 2022 and confirmed through spring 2023 fieldwork using emergence traps to estimate population density across 6,000 to 6,500 square meters.
• The cemetery’s undisturbed soil, minimal pesticide use, and proximity to abundant flowering plants create ideal conditions for these bees, highlighting cemeteries as valuable habitats for ground-nesting bee species.
• Entomologist Bryan Danforth emphasized the ecological importance of solitary bees, which are often overlooked despite their significant role in pollination and biodiversity.